I might be alone on this, because it seems widespread
But I hate the terms 'bloke' and 'mate'.

'Bloke' because it's become shorthand for a fucknuckled ape, originally of male origins, who drinks pisspoor Carling lager, eats McCoys crisps and ejects other men from their pub quiz team for knowing ballet terms before saying in a gruff voice, 'Awight.' It's a horrible word, bloke. And while it may once have meant 'man' in a sort of friendly, down-to-earth way, now it means an intolerable example of overhyped masculinity with all the subtlety of a massive erect cock. It gets deployed as shorthand for 'all men who aren't posh' but to me it suggests 'all men who aren't posh' are misogynistic, idiotic walking dildos who think 'beer, tits, crisps, football' and not much else. You can picture a bloke: he's wearing white trainers, blue jeans, a white t-shirt and a v-neck jumper from River Island his 'missus' thought would both suit him and was fashionable (she was wrong on both counts). He's in the pub, being entirely unexceptional, uninteresting and unthreatening, and offering gently misinformed shallow analysis on anything that crops up. But you don't want to mess with him. He's probably called Steve.

'Mate' for a similar reason. It's a sub-group of the bloke: to be called 'mate' means one bloke thinks you're another bloke. It's usually deployed by complete strangers and Big Issue sellers: "scuse me, mate..." I'm not your mate; we don't fucking know each other. You don't need to say anything other than 'excuse me'. Women don't. (I don't mind being called mate by someone who is actually a friend, I should add.)

They're small points, but increasingly omnipresent and it's starting to piss me off a hell of a lot.
(Land of Green Ginger It's dreamy weather, Thu 8 Apr 2010, 16:47, 7 replies)

I prefer mate
to buddy or pal.
But you should call me sir to command my full attention.
( Blind Meach Cautiously optimistic, Thu 8 Apr 2010, 16:49, closed)

I quite like pal.
There was a regiment in the First World War called 'the Hull Pals', which I thought was lovely.

Though my dad has always used it in a threatening context: "Hey, watch it pal!" sort of thing.
(Land of Green Ginger It's dreamy weather, Thu 8 Apr 2010, 16:50, closed)

You'd prefer your male friends call you "love" or "dear" then?
That's what I call my friends. It's a really witty way of reversing the macho stereotype but reinforcing my masculinity in a post-modern, ironic way.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Thu 8 Apr 2010, 16:54, closed)

No
I'd be fine with them calling me mate, as I said. Just not strangers calling me that.
(Land of Green Ginger It's dreamy weather, Thu 8 Apr 2010, 17:48, closed)

The bloke who works where I get my tyres from
calls everyone 'bud'.

Personally, I'd say 'mate' is just a male version of saying love or pet. Some women do take umbrage to it though, but the vast majority don't care.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Thu 8 Apr 2010, 17:00, closed)

I call any male I don't know "fella".
Seems simpler that way.
( jim_bob can herd cats., Thu 8 Apr 2010, 17:27, closed)

That's the new 'bloke'!

Fella is the worst kind of shit!
(shanterbabs, Fri 9 Apr 2010, 0:47, closed)